Kerpollo 13 meets Gravity: The Ultimate Community Challenge. Can you rescue Jeb and avoid certain fiery death?

[KincaidFrankMF]

Kapcom, this is Valentina aboard Kerpollo 13 reporting all systems nominal. We have successfully flown upwards until reaching space, right where we expected to find it. Preparing to turn right and head for the Mun in around… four minutes. Stage 2 separation complete. Jeb’s outside, the big show-off, horsing around on his jetpack while we idle towards apokee. He’s getting low on propellant, so I’d better call him in.

CRAKOOM crak crak crak hissssssssssssssssssss

Kapcom, we have a probhzzzzz. Green alert, repeat, I am declaring a green alert. Yes, I know it means changing the bulb. Kzzzzzt multiple impacts, micromcrrrrrroids or maybe carelessly discarded snacks from Kerpollo 12. I’m reading extensive damage to the third stage. We have fuel leaks, the main batteries have shorted out, the MEM fuel gauge is on the fritz and I hzzzzzzt crk zzzzp definitely had more legs when we set out. Jeb’s going to be upset, he built that thing himself – he’s ever so proud of it. Hold on, I’m getting a signal–

…..

Kapcom, Jeb reports bingo fhzzzzz. He’s running on fumes out there. He keeps telling me to leave him behind and save myself, but I’m not having any of that “women and kerblings first” nonsense. Crkrrrrrrk instrumentation malfunction, so I’ll have to plot an intercept using the Mark 1 eyeball – at speed. Only three minutes left to apokee but… I can do this. I have a plan. I’m going to save Jeb, complete the mission, and I will bring us home. Valentina, over and out.

 

Rather than a standard challenge, this is a modified save file designed to throw you into the thick of it. To install, create a new folder called e.g. “Kerpollo 13” next to your existing campaign folder (which should be in C:\Users\"your name"\AppData\LocalLow\Intercept Games\Kerbal Space Program 2\Saves\SinglePlayer). Then drop the three files here into the new folder. Next time you start the game, you should find a new campaign waiting for you containing a single save.

Mission Goals:

• BRONZE (Start here. No, really): Rescue Jeb and return safely to the ground.
• SILVER: + orbit the Mun.
• GOLD: + land on the Mun, collect the sacred Science (including an environment survey and radiation scan), and plant a flag.
• THE SCOTT MANLEY CHALLENGE: The ultimate test of piloting skill. Annoy friends/family/coworkers by suggesting they’re not a real kerbal unless they complete the scenario live, without pausing or loading at any point (unless you step on a bug. Save often). If you weren’t dashingly bald to start with, you will be by the end.
• Bragging rights: How much delta-v can you preserve on the final stage, before separating for re-entry?

 

Mods required: None.

Mods allowed: Cosmetic only. Nothing that would help.

 

Ethos: There’s no trick here, you don’t need to bend in-game logic to breaking point or Kobayashi Maru your way through the scenario. All that’s required is problem solving and skill. (On which note, the KSC has no other rockets ready for take-off at this time – no rescue launches allowed!) You have everything you need to complete the mission.

The scenario is designed to test your piloting skill. It’s exactly as hard as it should be.

 

Notes: Future bug fixes may resolve the “broken fuel gauge” and instrumentation glitches while attempting to dock, so enjoy the real challenge while it lasts (or revert to 0.2.1). It’s not a bug if it’s a feature.

The MEM docking port is intended as a clamp/attachment point. Kerbals aren’t actually expected to squeeze through there.

The atmo sniffer is just for silliness.

 

Known issues: Sometimes when loading the game for the first time, bits poke out of the MEM fairing for no obvious reason. Reloading fixed this for me.

Sometimes phantom forces kick Jeb away at high speed. At the very start, he should be drifting away at < 1m/s (things may get worse after that). If not, reload.

Bugs are inevitable at this stage of the game. Quicksave/quickload usually does the trick.

 

Installation: Places the files here-

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uE_NsFQsYRNoD9fPUOXU5efBBbnT3FtQ?usp=sharing 

-into a new folder alongside your regular campaign saves (usually found in C:\Users\"your name"\AppData\LocalLow\Intercept Games\Kerbal Space Program 2\Saves\SinglePlayer - unless you've found a cunning way to move them). Launch the game, open the new campaign and load the save.

I do have the general computing skills of the average toddler, so let me know if I've messed up the file sharing or otherwise screwed up. I'm sure it can be fixed